1. Field
One or more exemplary embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for smoothing a motion vector of an image.
2. Description of the Related Art
A motion compensated frame interpolation (MCFI) method in consideration of motion information is being used for providing a high-quality image. In the MCFI method, an image processing apparatus estimates a motion between a previous image and a current image, and generates a motion-compensated interpolation image on the basis of the estimated motion. In other words, the image processing apparatus extracts a motion vector between two adjacent frames depending on motion prediction, and generates an interpolation image, which is an intermediate frame, by using a half value of the motion vector.
In this case, the motion vector estimated based on the motion prediction may differ from a true motion due to noise of an image, a brightness change, and a shape change of a motion object. Image-quality degradation phenomena, such as a blocking phenomenon, a ghost deterioration phenomenon, and a shape change of a moving object, may occur in an interpolation image which is generated based on a motion vector differing from a true motion.
A motion vector is smoothed by performing a motion vector smoothing operation, and thus is processed and output close to a true motion. However, a motion vector of an adjacent block is used in smoothing the motion vector, and thus, when a difference between a true motion vector of an adjacent block and a true motion vector of a current block is large, the smoothed motion vector may also have a motion vector value having a large difference with respect to the true motion.